after taken distributor and putting back in the engine rattles

[Duffy1]

I have a B engine . I took the distributor out and put points and condenser in it and put it back in the engine . Now I have a rattling noise when you rev up the engine . Once you level the rpms off the noise is absent . I took the distibutor out and tried to get the shaft out but no luck . I checked the cam gear and spring by pushing on the cam gear with the timing pin while the engine was running and no change in noise . I took of the cam gear side cover and inspected the cam gear teeth and all looked good . Also checked to see if cam gear was loose . Nope ,cam gear was tight . So,I think the cam gear is ok.I also ran the engine with the distributor very loose in its mount and no change in noise. I also oiled the distributor,no help. I do not know if that shaft being stuck has anything to do with it or not . Any help on this would be appreciared.

[Gary WA]

The shaft will and should come out! May one side of the shaft broke off it has a groove on the end like a tongue and groove might be rattling.

[Duffy1]

Thanks. My club has a little drive Saturday ,I guess its best not to drive the car until I take out the shaft and see what the problem is. If I can not get the shaft out by pulling up on it , What other option is there .

[Gary WA]

should be able to take a screwdriver and turn a little bit . look in the hole with flashlight. I use a magnet comes right out if not rusty Squirt some oil down the shaft hole. won't hurt anything. Check the club members they will be glad to help!! keep us posted.

[James Rogers]

You can remove the valve cover and access the shaft from there. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to pry it up then remove it from the top.

[Duffy1]

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Thanks ; Gary and James ; I will try pulling it up first and if this does not work I will take the valve cover off . Thanks again . I hope what ever I find solves the problem.

[Duffy1]

I also put a fan schroud on before taking the distributor out. I do not think the schroud is making this noise.This noise sounds like it is coming from the area around the distributor and is rpm sensitive . I have pressed the fan schroud and the rattling noise does not change. If I find the shaft in good order I guess I can take the schroud off and see if the noise goes away. This engine only has about a 1,000 miles on it and was running nice and quite before I took out the distributor.

[Brentwood Bob]

The Distributor should be held in place with the set screw snug, but not tight. Bob

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Possibly the cam gear itself is worn or the intermediate gear has some wear. I have one like that and the rattling noise shows up after driving a couple of miles when the oil thins out. I've replaced the oil pump, distributor and shaft with no change, for what it's worth.

[Duffy1]

Bob and Brent ;

Thanks for the reply . What can happen if you over tighten the set screw ? Anyway I guess no one thinks the shroud is the problem . The rattling only started after I messed with the distributor . Well I have had no luck pulling the rod out . Started taken the valve cover bolts out and I think I am going to have problems with the bolt next to the exhaust manifold as I have it screwed all the way out and it is hitting the manifold . So I am going to put all the bolts back and put the distributor back in and run the car and think about it for a while before I take the manifold off so I can get the valve cover off so I can get the rod out . I probaly will take the schroud off and see if that is the cause before Itake the manifold off .

[Marco Tahtaras]

Did it require some force or pressure to fully seat the distributor back in the head when you initially reinstalled the distributor?

[Greg way out West]

Hey Duffy,,


I'ed check the dist. itself...Maybe a spring came off the weight's inside of the dist ?..You said it's RPM related ?...Might try another dist ?


I really don't think it's the shaft,


Greg

[Duffy1]

Well a club member came over this morning and tried to get the shaft out with no luck . So we proceeded to put the dist. back in the engine and time it . He noticed dist shaft had a lot of play in it . So we put a new shaft in the dist and set the points at 18 and retimed it . Problem solved . Ran like a champ with no rattle. Thanks everyone for your comments .

[Brentwood Bob]

I got a knock after replacing a distributor and really tightening the set screw. I learned to just tighten enough to hold the distributor in place. Bob

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by Duffy1

I have a B engine . I took the distributor out and put points and condenser in it and put it back in the engine . Now I have a rattling noise when you rev up the engine . Once you level the rpms off the noise is absent . I took the distibutor out and tried to get the shaft out but no luck . I checked the cam gear and spring by pushing on the cam gear with the timing pin while the engine was running and no change in noise . I took of the cam gear side cover and inspected the cam gear teeth and all looked good . Also checked to see if cam gear was loose . Nope ,cam gear was tight . So,I think the cam gear is ok.I also ran the engine with the distributor very loose in its mount and no change in noise. I also oiled the distributor,no help. I do not know if that shaft being stuck has anything to do with it or not . Any help on this would be appreciared.

Sounds like a timing problem. You need to retard it a little.